The Dark Lord's Daughter
by snailqueen333
Summary: What would the Dark Lord's daughter be like? Trained to be evil, ready to torture and kill without a second thought. But she has one secret influencing her: her best friend. This is my old story "Nefaria" re-written. Review please!
1. Prologue

**A/N: Ok, so I had this story called "Nefaria" but I kept re-writing it and changing my mind about stuff. So this is the same story… But I swear I won't re-write it anymore. :-)**

**Other notes:**

**-Bellatrix is not married in this story**

**-I know that Voldemort has red eyes, but I think his slightly-more-normal blue eyes in the movie were cooler. Deal with it. **

_Prologue_

A woman appeared with a quiet _pop_, tattooed arm still stinging from her summons. Her silky black cloak swirled behind her, imitating her hair. Jet black, long, and extremely curly, it flowed behind her in the gentle winter breeze. She had a beautiful face, but in a demonic way; one scowl would having you cowering in fear, a glare from those cold eyes would have you running for the hills.

She hurried into the ominous-looking alley in front of her. After taking a few steps, she arrived at her destination. She pushed the door open and stepped into a dimly-lit front room lined with bookshelves. She curtly greeted the dark-haired man sitting in an armchair to the left of her. "Severus," she said and nodded.

"Bellatrix," he replied. "Pleasure to have you in my home. The Dark Lord will see you shortly."

"Such a shame…" Bellatrix said, looking around, "that he must use such a cramped space as headquarters. The Malfoy Manor is much more spacious. And elegant, too, I suppose."

Severus Snape chuckled. "And the fact that it is your sister's house has _nothing_ to do with it whatsoever."

Bellatrix returned the grin. "Nothing would make me more happy than having the Dark Lord in my family's home."

"Of course, of course. But you know full well why we had to move the headquarters. I doubt the Dark Lord would appreciate the constant cries of a newborn child."

At that, a high cold voice said, "Right you are, Severus. As much as I support continuing the pureblood line…" he trailed off. "Bellatrix! I'm glad to see you came tonight." Bellatrix turned and knelt at the feet of the man who had just entered. He stood tall, with silk black robes billowing around him elegantly. His bony hands hung beside him, one clutching a wand carved to resemble a bone itself.

His face was a terrifying sight: Cold, piercing, light blue eyes that seemed could look right through you and a disfigured nose resembling a snake's, with thin slits for nostrils.

"My Lord," Bellatrix leaned down and kissed his robes, a normal ritual.

"Follow me," Voldemort said as he turned towards a narrow hallway. Bellatrix followed suit, and they both entered an empty room. The walls were bare, and there was no furniture. Bellatrix looked up at her master, confused. Voldemort smiled.

"Your ultimate goal in life is to be as close to me as possible, Bella," he said, caling her by her rarely-used nickname. "I am your master, your role model, your… ah, savior, if you will. You wish to be close to me? To serve me well? Tonight, you get your chance." He flicked his wand and conjured up a bed. It was covered in silky black sheets, and the four bedposts were elegantly carved in the shape of skulls.

Bellatrix looked at her master in awe and slight trepidation. "My- my Lord?"

Voldemort said nothing. Instead, he slowly brought his lips to hers. Instantly, a feeling shot through Bellatrix like she had never experienced. It was pure cold, pure fear, like her body had turned to ice. It was as though her body had come into contact with something pure evil, so evil that nothing should ever come this close.

And she loved every second of it.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Another chapter! Woot woot!**

Bellatrix slowly pushed open the door of Snape's home and Voldemort's headquarters. A blanket of warm air surrounded her as she stepped out of the frigid winter air. The house at Spinner's End was bustling with people, for there had just been a great victory for Death Eaters. Bellatrix, along with a few other companions, had successfully captured and tortured the Aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom.

Bellatrix smiled at the memory. She just loved the rush of adrenaline and pure evil coursing through her veins when she watched others suffer. She, and that Barty Crouch, Jr., too. He had certainly had a good time that night.

Bellatrix was greeted by a few other men and women. Avery bowed slightly when he saw the menacing-looking woman with fierce, curly hair. Mulciber nodded in her direction. But the only person in the room that Bellatrix had eyes for was her sister, Narcissa Malfoy.

She pushed her way through the crowd of Death Eaters and greeted her favorite sibling. "Cissy," she said. "Lucius," she added curtly, barely taking notice of her sister's husband, who stood protectively by his wife's side.

"I… I need to talk to you," Bellatrix whispered. She walked over to a secluded corner of the room and motioned for Narcissa to follow. When Lucius tried to accompany her, Bellatrix turned sharply and snapped, "_Alone_."

Lucius nodded respectfully and walked in the other direction. When he was out of range of hearing, the beautiful witch with silky blonde hair and dark eyes said, "What's wrong, Bella?" calling her by the name only a few, intimate friends used. "You look horrible."

Bellatrix did indeed look horrible. Her hair was even unrulier than usual, sticking up in odd places. Her whole body sagged, as though she was extremely stressed. She had dark circles under her eyes. She looked disheveled, exhausted, and most of all, distraught.

"You know how the Dark Lord summoned me here the other night?" she began slowly. Narcissa nodded. "Well… we… the Dark Lord and I, I mean. We…" she trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud.

"I know," Narcissa said. "We all assumed. Snape told Lucius, and he told me, and, well… We all figured out it was just a matter of time. You're one of _his_ most devoted servants. The Dark Lord always gets what he wants, and of course you'd be most willing to give him… anything." She stopped, slightly embarrassed at the topic they were discussing. "So that's it, then? That's what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Bellatrix took a deep breath. "No, that's not all." She closed her eyes, inhaled, exhaled. "I'm… I'm…"

And then the inexplicable happened. Bellatrix Black broke down. Bellatrix, the cold, hardened criminal who had killed and tortured countless numbers of souls, had tears falling from her cheeks like a raging waterfall. Her head was in her hands and her body was wracked with sobs.

"I can't tell him," she said between deep, tear-filled breaths. "He'll kill me, or torture me, I know it. This is the _last_ thing he wants. He couldn't… _I_ couldn't! I don't want this!" she exclaimed. A few Death Eaters glanced at her, surprised by the sudden outburst.

Narcissa looked down at her sister, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Bellatrix looked up with watery eyes. She shakily opened her mouth and said two words. "I'm pregnant."

---

Narcissa led the sniffling Bellatrix out of the bustling parlor and into Snape's kitchen. Bella lowered herself into a chair while Narcissa rummaged through Snape's cabinets, retrieving ingredients for a potion one by one. She plopped them on the counter and finally carried the bottles of herbs, beans, and various animal parts to the table.

"What are you going to do?" Narcissa asked gently.

"I don't have a choice. I have to tell him." Bellatrix sniffed.

"And then?"

"I'll do whatever the Dark Lord tells me," Bellatrix replied stonily.

Narcissa sighed. "But what do you want?"

Bellatrix stuttered, "I… I want whatever the Dark Lord wants."

Narcissa looked sternly at her sister. "I know that's not completely true. It's ok, Bella, you can say it. I'm not going to tell anyone. What do you _really_ want?"

Bellatrix squeezed her eyes shut. "I can't quite… put it in words. I _do_ want what the Dark Lord wants! But, at the same time… Let me put it this way. He's my master, my lord, the… the only man I've ever looked up to. The only man who's ever cared about me. And now I'm carrying a part of him around inside me. If he expects me to _kill_ a piece of him? I can't. I just can't!"

Narcissa nodded. "You'll get through this, Bella. Let's just take this one step at a time. If he truly cares about you, then maybe he'll take your wishes into consideration.

"Here, drink this. It's a nerve tonic- it'll calm you down." She handed Bellatrix a cup of the finished potion. Bellatrix took it and sipped.

She relaxed immediately. "Thank you," she said.

"Now," Narcissa continued once Bellatrix had drained the cup. "Are you ready to speak to him?"

"I… yes. Do I look presentable?"

Narcissa waved her wand, and Bellatrix's eyes lost the puffiness and redness gained from crying. With another flick, her insane black lay elegantly at her side.

"You look beautiful."

Bellatrix embraced her sister in a tight hug, thanked her again, and then confidently walked out the door. "Good luck!" Narcissa cried softly after her. "Love you," she whispered for only herself to hear.

---

Bellatrix reached the door to the room where Voldemort was residing. She took a deep breath and reached up to knock. Before her hand hit the door, however, it swung open of its own accord. Inside sat a man with a snake-like face pointing his wand at the door. He sat at an intricately carved mahogany desk. The four legs had the same skulls that had sat on the bedposts of the bed in the same room a few nights before.

Voldemort looked at Bellatrix gravely. "I heard you at the door," he commented. "Bellatrix, you are using Occlumency against your master…. That is not a good sign. What's going on?"

Bellatrix looked her master in the eye, confidence aided by Narcissa's potion. She gulped. "My Lord," she said, "I'm pregnant."

There was silence. Voldemort stared ahead, no emotion on his face. Bellatrix bit her lip nervously, but knew to stay quiet.

After an unnaturally long time, Voldemort broke the silence by muttering to himself. "An heir… helpful, yes, someone who follows unconditionally, raised to believe in our cause more than anyone… then again, there's the struggle for power. Sons overthrow their fathers all too often for it to go unnonticed and unconsidered… But if I had an heir who would not overthrow me…. Yes, yes, that is the solution."

He looked up at Bellatrix. "A son will overthrow me, that I'm sure of. Power struggle occur constantly in history. I will not make that mistake. But an heir would be most benifitial… so this is the solution. A girl, you will keep and raise to be the perfect Death Eater, the true daughter of Lord Voldemort."

A grin broke out on Bellatrix's face. Voldemort quickly continued. "A son, however, you will destroy. Immideately. I cannot trust a powerful, power-_hungry_ son." Bellatrix's smile faded. "Is this clear?"

Bellatrix nodded slowly, and began praying feverishly in her head that she had a daughter resting in her stomach. "Shall… shall we find out now?" Bellatrix asked timidly.

Voldemort nodded and picked up his wand from the desk. "_Generis Revelio_," he said and pointed his wand towards her abdomen.

After a moment, a faint glow began radiating from the woman's stomach. After a few more seconds, it had turned into a bright pink halo of light, framing Bellatrix's belly.

Bellatrix let out a sigh of relief. Voldemort nodded contently. "Very well then. We will discuss more precise arrangements soon. But now, Lord Voldemort is tired. I will see you at the meeting tomorrow."

Taking this as her cue to leave, Bellatrix smiled and said, "Yes, my Lord. Thank you, my Lord!" She turned and walked out of the room, clutching her stomach in wonder, awe, and delight.

She, Bellatrix Black, was going to raise the Dark Lord's daughter.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Another chapter… Woots! Hmmm… I'm not really sure if this is too long and confusing or not. But Nefaria's story hasn't even really started yet. And I don't want this fic to be more than ten or twelve chapters. Anyway, enjoy!**

"My friends," A cold, high voice said softly. Voldemort sat at the head of a magically enlarged, oval-shaped table in Snape's dining room. "Please have a seat."

A large group of Death Eaters filed into the room and sat down around the table. Snape sat to the right of the Dark Lord, then Lucius Malfoy next him. After him, there was Crabbe, then Goyle; Avery, the two Carrows, Dolohov, Barty Crouch Jr., Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, Peter Pettigrew, Nott, Macnair, Mulciber, Wilkes, Rookwood, Rosier, all the way back around to Bellatrix Black, on Voldemort's left.

"First," Voldemort said, "I would like to congratulate Mr. Crouch, Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, and Bellatrix. They successfully incapacitated Frank and Alice Longbottom, two of the greatest Aurors known today. We must all thank them for disposing of a threat to our rise to power." Some of the Death Eaters turned to the successful torturers and murmured a thanks or congratulations.

"Next," Voldemort continued, "The blood-traitor Weasley family is going to have yet _another_ child. Would someone please volunteer to put an end to this disaster? They have, what, 10 children? They've gone to far in polluting the world with scum. Lucius? You're… they're second cousin or something, are you not? Please, for all of our sakes…"

"Yes, My Lord, of course. I will do whatever it takes to purify the wizarding race for you, master."

"Another matter," Voldemort said quickly, ignoring Malfoy's failed attempt at flattery and show of devotion. "I feel the time has come to take the next step in infiltrating the Ministry. We have an agent in the Department of Mysteries, Rookwood, but that is not enough. If we wish to truly control the government, we must do better than that. Any ideas?"

Rookwood spoke up. "My Lord. I _do_ work at the ministry. If I had the opportunity, I could put the Imperius curse on one of the higher employees. I suppose if I just had the chance, it wouldn't be that hard. They're all just so well-protected!"

Voldemort replied coldly, "You've been working at the Ministry this long, and yet you still haven't found this _chance_? I'll give you the job, Rookwood. But do it in a reasonable amount of time."

Voldemort took a deep breath. "Lastly, I have an announcement to make. Bellatrix," he said, saying her name with something unrecognizable in his tone. It could be kindness, or care, or even love, but it was for too short a time to name it. "Bellatrix, as one of my most devoted servants, will be the mother to the most unique, powerful creature in the entire world."

The Death Eaters turned to each other, muttering in confusion. They stopped, however, when they realized Voldemort wasn't done. "Lord Voldemort's daughter," he said simply. Eyes wide, people gasped. Voldemort, obviously annoyed by the excessive muttering and curiosity, said succinctly, "We meet again in two weeks."

All eighteen people stood and left the room. Bellatrix began to file out the door with the rest of them, when Voldemort called softly, "Bellatrix, wait." She turned and swiftly sat back down, this time at the opposite end of the table, facing her master.

"We have a few matters to discuss. First, names. You know names have a very important role in the wizarding world. _You_, for example, are a true warrior, as your name says. And then there's me. Do you know what my name means, Bellatrix?"

Bellatrix thought for a moment. "Vol- flight. In French. De- well, de- means from or of… and Mort. Death."

Voldemort smiled. "Yes, that's right. Flight from death. Although, I would disagree with the word 'flight.' It has a connotation of being afraid, of fleeing. No, I mean it more as if I have cunningly eluded death," he said thoughtfully. "So this girl must have a name that fits both her and her heritage. Any suggestions?"

Bellatrix looked down, concentrating hard. "Well, it must have a Latin root I suppose," she said.

Voldemort nodded. "Or at least a Romance language. After all, the Romans practically invented modern magic."

Bellatrix muttered to herself, "Malus… evil. Mala? No. No, no, no… Or 'wicked,' Malefica… No, too long. Oh, I don't _know_!" she said in frustration.

They both brainstormed some more, trying to figure out the perfect name for the child. Bellatrix found this new, equal power in decision making profoundly wonderful; she finally had a true say in what the Dark Lord did.

Finally, Bellatrix licked her lips and said, "What about Nefaria? It means wicked. In Latin, I mean."

Voldemort was silent. He tilted his head and blinked. "Yes," he said quietly. "The Dark Lord's daughter, Nefaria. Perfect."

Bellatrix smiled. "Wonderful! Nefaria," she said again, putting her hand lightly on her stomach.

There was a moment of quiet, and then Voldemort continued. "Another thing. Housing? I know you live in a… well, an unsuitable house. Much too small. I want her to grow up in the perfect environment. Can you find someone to help you find the perfect house?"

Bellatrix quickly responded, "Narcissa Malfoy."

Voldemort nodded. "Very well. I want it to be secluded. Not completely isolated, but definitely in a Muggle neighborhood. Teach her to ignore them, to hate them." Bellatrix agreed. Voldemort ended with, "There are more matters to discuss, but we have time. Go rest. We will talk soon."

Bellatrix got up slowly and bowed slightly. "Thank you, my Lord," she said.

She walked slowly out of the room, and Voldemort called softly, only for her to hear, "Good night."

---

Narcissa and Bellatrix appeared with two small _pop_s on the deserted sidewalk of a Muggle neighborhood. They had been searching for the right new neighborhood for Bellatrix for over a month. They just couldn't seem to get it right; some were too infested with Muggles, some were just too small, some were too far away from wizarding settlements, and some were just plain boring.

Bellatrix looked around took in the houses around them. They all looked pretty much the same, but there was a slight charm to them. This neighborhood was only a half-hour drive to London, and it wasn't like Bellatrix needed to drive anyway. She could just apparate or floo her and her baby wherever they needed to be.

She stood in front of an empty lot, hand akimbo. She stared for a moment more, and then Bellatrix said, "All right. This is it."

Narcissa grinned and said, "Wonderful! Oh, this is going to be so much fun. Let's get started."

They both set to work, casting every protection spell and charm imaginable, from Muggle-repelling charms to making it Unplottable. Finally, they were about to do the Fidelis Charm when they spotted a Muggle couple off in the distance walking towards them.

Narcissa put her hand lightly on Bellatrix's arm and said, "Wait till they leave," nodding her head towards the man and the woman pushing a baby carriage.

They both tucked their wands into their long, flowing robes and stood patiently. As the two adults and their infant walked by Bellatrix and Narcissa, the woman muttered, "Oh, the nerve of some people. What tacky clothes!"

Bellatrix took a deep, angry breath, and clutched her wand tightly in her right hand. Narcissa quickly put her hand on Bellatrix's arm and said, "Not now. Another time."

Bellatrix scowled. "The nerve of _them_, those filthy Muggles."

"No, no, the house, remember?" Narcissa said hastily.

Bellatrix turned reluctantly back around and looked at Narcissa. "Ok," she said. They proceeded with the multiple-stepped charm. First, Bellatrix whispered the address of the lot into Narcissa's ear. Then, at the same time, they shouted the address and pointed their wands at the lot. "_Domus Fidelis_!" They cried together.

Bellatrix said, "Well? Did it work? Can you see it?"

Narcissa smiled. "Nope! And I've forgotten the address like I'm supposed to." Bellatrix whispered it into her ear once more. Narcissa nodded. "All right. Let's get to work."

---

After eight months, the house was done. It took an exceptionally long time to build because Bellatrix and Narcissa had to build it alone- Bellatrix was now wanted by the Ministry for the torture of the Longbottoms.

The house was huge and elegant. It was Victorian style, painted black on the outside with white trimming. The front yard had a few bushes and a tree, but the sisters hadn't spent too much time on landscaping because no one could see it anyway. Inside, the ceilings were breathtakingly tall and carved white trimming continued throughout the house. It was furnished with style- it had everything from mahogany tables and chairs to mounted bookshelves that lined the walls in one room. The walls were decorated with photographs, a few paintings, and a bit of Death Eater memorabilia (Bellatrix hung her old Death Eater mask- she had a new one now- on the wall of her future daughter's room).

Bellatrix's favorite part of the house was the backyard. She had magically enlarged it threefold, so it was now almost an acre. She had set up a playpen for Nefaria in one corner, as well as a patio table and chairs for eating outside on nice days. The best part, in Bellatrix's opinion, was the training area. She had set up a target for practicing aiming spells. There was also a huge bin full of objects ready to be transfigured, as well as a few dressers and tanks, filled with various magical creatures, including a gryndilow and a boggart, to name a few. This was the perfect area to train a child in all areas of practical magic and dueling.

Bellatrix and Narcissa stepped into the house, smiling nervously, followed by the great Dark Lord himself. Bellatrix's heart filled with joy that her master was finally in her own home. After a tour of the house, Voldemort smiled slightly. "This is absolutely fantastic," he said. "May I have a word with Bellatrix for a moment?" he said to Narcissa. Narcissa nodded respectfully and left the room.

"My lord, do you like it?" Bellatrix asked excitedly.

"I do, very much so," Voldemort replied. "I just wanted to tell you something. Only a few of my followers know about this, but I felt you should be in on the secret." He stopped. "Maybe it would be easier to show you." He conjured up a blue glass bowl with the flick of his wand and pulled a bottle out of his pocket. It contained a few drops of a silvery liquid. He poured it into the Pensieve and motioned for Bellatrix to take a look. She leaned in…

_The figure of Sybil Trelawny appeared. The memory was seen from a crack in the door. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark…" She was cut off by a slight gasp. The man in the memory, standing at the door, quickly turned and ran down the stairs and out of the pub, going to warn his master._

Bellatrix looked up at Voldemort. "Power to… vanquish you?" she gulped. Voldemort nodded gravely. "Thrice defied him… the Potters," Bellatrix pondered.

"Or the Longbottoms. Their son was born last year at the end of July. But I believe it is the Potters," Voldemort said. "I'm going to destroy them and their son tonight. My source- well, you know my source. Wormtail." Bellatrix nodded. "I wanted to tell you before I left."

"Thank you for telling me," Bellatrix said softly. "I'm very grateful you told me all of this."

"It's getting dark out. I'm off," Voldemort said. He turned and his robes swished behind him.

"Good luck!" Bellatrix cried after him.

After a few moments, Narcissa came back in the room. She began talking as soon as she heard the front door shut. "What was that? What happened? Is everything ok?"

Bellatrix quickly calmed her sister down. "It's fine," she said. "He was telling me of his plans for tonight. He's going to do… a job. I can't tell you. Secrecy. You know." Narcissa nodded and relaxed, glad that nothing was wrong. "Oh, I hope he's all right!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "'The power to vanquish'…" she sighed, eyebrows furrowed.

Narcissa looked taken aback. "Power to vanquish? What?!"

Bellatrix shook her head. "I can't tell you. I just hope he's all right."

Narcissa put her hand comfortingly on Bellatrix's shoulder. "He is the Dark Lord," she said confidently. "Even if it is dangerous, he'll be fine. Trust me."

Bellatrix took a few deep breaths, still worried. Then, all of a sudden, she completely forgot about the Dark Lord and Harry Potter. She looked down, and she had something trickling down her leg.

"Oh…" she said quietly. "I think… I think my baby's going to be born tonight."


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry this one's so short. It's my attempt at fluffiness… well, at least the last part. Anyway, hope you like it! **

Bellatrix looked around her room, shaking, seething with anger. She was now slim again, and her baby Nefaria was sitting quietly in her crib in the other room. But for now, Bellatrix couldn't care less about her child.

She stood up and made a split second decision to take out her anger in the only way she knew how. She ran out the door of her hidden house and ran down the street. It was a cold fall night, and the sky was clear. The full moon shone brightly down on the pavement- the only light illuminating the street. She ran and ran, feet pounding against the asphalt. She turned a corner, trying to decide on her destination.

Finally, she stopped, panting, in front of a small, quaint house. There were a few lights on, shining out of the windows and casting a yellow glow on the road. Insides burning with frustration and ire, Bellatrix pointed her wand at the front of the house and shouted, "REDUCTO!"

There was a huge bang, and a large hole was blasted out of the house. Before the neighbors could come out, Bellatrix rushed inside and quickly found the inhabitants. The muggle woman's surprised screams were nothing compared to the shrieks of agony that came from her just moments later, when Bellatrix sneered, "_Crucio!_"

Bellatrix joined in, shouting along with the tortured woman, letting out her fury. Finally, Bellatrix stopped. The anger was gone, replaced by only devastation. She couldn't get the image of Narcissa standing in front of her, delivering the news, the horrible news. Bellatrix's shoulders drooped, and she pointed her wand at the terrified muggle half-heartedly. "_Avada Kedavra_," she said, finishing the job. Then, she turned on the spot and disappeared with a CRACK.

Bellatrix reappeared back in her house. She immediately collapsed on the floor, the burden of the news bearing down on her almost physically.

He was gone.

---

A year had passed, and Bellatrix was getting used to solitude. But of course, she wasn't _really_ alone- she had Nefaria with her. Bellatrix smiled at the thought of her daughter.

Nefaria was really a remarkable baby. The resemblance to both her parents was uncanny. Like her mother, she had curly, jet-black hair and heavily lidded eyes. From her father, she had inherited both his frightening light blue eyes and his snake-like nose. Bellatrix absolutely adored Nefaria and had to use all of her will power not to spoil her to bits.

After breakfast, Bellatrix headed straight to the backyard. This had become a routine for her; although Nefaria was still too young to train, Bellatrix had used the training area very effectively for her own benefit. She sat Nefaria down in her playpen. The little girl toddled over to the other side of the playpen, picked up a toy broomstick, and began zooming around on it, only rising a foot or so off the ground.

Bellatrix glanced up at the glaring sun and quickly cast a spell around the yard that would get rid of the glare. She took a deep breath and set to work. First, she started practicing transfiguration. Completely ignoring the box full of small items meant for Nefaria to learn transfiguration on, she walked to a medium-sized boulder. She pictured her enemy just feet away from her. Glaring at the invisible member of the Order of the Phoenix, she successfully turned the boulder into a miniature dragon (nonverbally). This spell was one of her own creation, and had taken an exceptionally long time to master; magical creatures were hardly ever the subject of transfiguration. They were just too complex.

The dragon turned and began spouting fire at Bellatrix. She raised a shield charm just in time, and the flames bounced off. Nefaria squealed as the dragon turned towards her. With lightning speed, Bellatrix vanished the dragon and paused to take a deep breath. Maybe she would hold off on transfiguring something into a Quintaped. (**A/N: See **_**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them**_** by Newt Scamander… a.k.a. JKR. Or just Google it.)**

She turned now to the target practice area. She focused in on a small rock that stood on a ledge about 50 feet away. She steadied her arm and pointed her wand at the rock. "_Avada Kedavra_!" she shouted, and a jet of green light shot from her wand. The killing curse missed the rock by an inch, blasting a hole in the wall it was resting on. Bellatrix muttered a quick "_Reparo_," and the wall re-built itself.

Nefaria was now watching intently, curious as to what her mother was doing. She loved watching the flashing lights fly everywhere; her favorite, and the one her mother made most often, was the bright green, glowing one- it was so pretty!

Bellatrix readied herself again, determined to hit the rock right in the middle. "_Avada Kedavra_!" she cried, but it missed again, this time soaring out of the yard and toward the neighbor's house. Cursing, Bellatrix conjured up a muggle baseball and sent it flying into the window that her killing curse had just broken. This made it look like someone had broken the window with a baseball.

Bellatrix readjusted and prepared to send the curse once more. She aimed her wand, squinted her eyes, and shouted, "_Avada Kedavra_!" The green-glowing spell hit the rock right in the middle, and the rock was blasted into bits. Bellatrix smiled confidently, and she heard a small giggle behind her.

She turned around to see Nefaria standing up, holding on to the side of the playpen for support, smiling at her mother. Bellatrix rushed over and picked the grinning baby up. She set her down and summoned a golden snitch from the playpen. "Look, Nefaria!" Bellatrix said, and let the snitch go. "Can you catch it?"

Nefaria shrieked and began chasing the snitch, which couldn't go more than two feet off the ground. Half-crawling, half-running, the baby tackled the snitch and grasped it tightly.

"Mama!" she said- it was the only word she could say.

Bellatrix stepped towards her and said, "Mmhmm?"

Nefaria scrunched up her face, concentrating hard. "Av-a… K-avra. Av-a… Ke-avra. Av-a-a Ke-avra. Avada Kedavra!" she squealed, finally getting it right. Bellatrix's whole face lit up. She picked up Nefaria and twirled her around, then hugged her tight.

"That's my girl," she whispered.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: I think Bellatrix might be a little OOC here… but I'm sure she softened up somewhat after having raised a child for six years. Meh.**

**Also, I just realized that the little dividers between sections (I just put three dashes -) aren't showing up. So if the story seems to randomly jump from one scene to another, my apologies. **

"Happy birthday, Nefaria!" Bellatrix shouted. Nefaria was walking down the stairs, looking as though she had just woken up. Her black hair was in a sad state on her head, sticking up in odd places. She was rubbing her eyes with her fists, trying to get the sand out of her eyes.

Nefaria smiled when she saw her mom at the dining room table. There was a banner on the wall, the letters magically animated to flash different colors. It read, "Happy 6th Birthday, Nefaria!" The elegant mahogany table had two places set, and Nefaria's had a huge plate of pancakes in front of it.

Nefaria sat down and grinned at the pancakes. They were her favorite food. "Thank you, mother!" she exclaimed. "Can I have some butterbeer, please?"

"Butterbeer for breakfast?" Bellatrix replied. Nefaria looked sweetly at her mother. "Fine, only because it's your birthday."

She summoned a bottle from the kitchen and poured it into Nefaria's glass. They ate in silence for a few minutes. Nefaria gulped down her pancakes in record time. Before she could ask for seconds, Bellatrix put her fork down and looked at Nefaria seriously.

"Honey," she said, "I've made an important decision." Nefaria looked at her intently. She was a calm, quiet girl for a 6-year-old. She always listened, and was always eager to learn. "I've decided that you are old enough…" Nefaria leaned forward. "…to have your own wand."

Nefaria gasped. "But you said you don't get a wand until you're eleven!" she exclaimed.

"Well, I think you're a special case," Bellatrix replied smiling.

Nefaria's face lit up. "When can we go?" she asked excitedly.

"We can go this afternoon, but you're going to have to be patient while a brew up an aging potion. It's technically illegal to buy a wand under the age of 11," Bellatrix said flippantly.

"But… illegal? Wouldn't that be bad?" Nefaria asked hesitantly.

Bellatrix looked at her sternly. "Remember what I've told you- it doesn't matter what the law says, it just matters if you get caught or not. And we would never get caught."

"So it's not bad to break the law? Are you sure? Because in this history books..." She was referring to the many, many books that Bellatrix had bought her over the years, some being textbooks required at Hogwarts. "The history books say its bad."

Bellatrix frowned and narrowed her eyes. "Remember what father used to say?"

Of course Nefaria didn't remember; she had never met her father. But she knew what Bellatrix meant. She recited, in her little 6-year-old voice, "There is no good or evil. Only power and those too weak to seek it."

Nefaria began admiring herself in the mirror. So this is what she would look like in five years! She was much taller, with longer hair and a less chubby face. The only thing she didn't like was the nose. Her mother had added that separately with a spell. She touched it uncertainly. It felt odd- it was too big. It just didn't belong. She liked her old nose, like a snake. Nefaria liked snakes. Once she had found one in the backyard and had a lovely conversation with it for an hour.

Bellatrix soon joined Nefaria in the room. Nefaria jumped when she saw her mother; she was a completely different woman. She was taller and had a rounder face and stick-straight brown hair. Bellatrix sighed when she saw her reflection in the mirror. "It will have to do," she said. "Nefaria, you musn't forget everything I've told you. What is your name?"

"Natalie Girsham. I'm a muggleborn." She said the last word with distain. Nefaria didn't know _why_ she didn't like muggleborns, but Bellatrix said she should, and she always did what her mother said. "I'm eleven and I'm going to Hogwarts!"

Bellatrix nodded. "Right. And remember, whatever you do, do _not_ look the wandmaker in the eyes. Ok?"

Nefaria tilted her head. "All right. But why not?"

"He can read your mind if you look into his eyes. And no one is supposed to know who we are."

"Can all wizards read minds, mummy?" Nefaria asked curiously.

"No," Bellatrix replied. "Only the powerful ones. I can, and your father could."

Nefaria smiled. "I'm going to be able to read minds when I'm older!" she said excitedly.

Bellatrix grinned. "I'll teach you if you want. Not yet though; you don't even have a wand! Come on, let's go."

A tense Bellatrix pushed open the door of Ollivander's shop and let Nefaria in. Bellatrix was not used to going into public often; usually, she changed her appearance and apparated to a local grocery store only about once a month for food. The rest she could create by magic.

Nefaria gazed in wonder at the huge store, filled with dusty boxes. It had an odd, almost creepy feeling. An old man walked towards them from behind one of the shelves. He had silvery grey hair and wide, piercing, pale silver eyes. Nefaria remembered what her mother had told her and quickly averted her eyes.

"Going to Hogwarts?" he said in his old, deep voice.

"Yes sir," Nefaria replied quietly, head down. "My name is Natalie Girsham. I'm a muggleborn."

Ollivander nodded. "Then let's get you a wand." First, he took measurements: everywhere from Nefaria's height to the width between her eyes. Then he began selecting boxes from the shelves. "Willow and Unicorn hair, twelve inches. Try." He handed her a wand. She grasped it firmly and waved it.

Ollivander reached over and grabbed it from her. "No, definitely not." He then handed her another one. "Elm and dragon heartstring, eleven inches." She waved it, and again he snatched it away.

After almost an hour of this, Nefaria and Bellatrix were both very frustrated and impatient. Ollivander, on the other hand, was still having fun. "Tricky customer, tricky customer…" he muttered. He stopped at one of the shelves, staring at a green box about four rows above his head. "I'm never going to sell this wand… worth a try," he said to himself.

He slowly took out the green box and opened it. He handed Nefaria the wand. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches. Nice and supple."

She grabbed it, and it grew warm in her hand. It shot out bright green sparks that made small burn marks on the ceiling. Nefaria smiled; she had a wand!

Ollivander's eyebrows furrowed. "You _are_ muggleborn?" he asked.

Nefaria glanced at her mother. "Yes," she replied.

He sighed in confusion. "Natalie, would you please go outside for a moment? I need to speak with your mother."

Nefaria frowned and looked again at her mother. Bellatrix looked at Nefaria, then back at Ollivander. "Go outside, Natalie," she said.

Nefaria reluctantly stepped outside and closed the door behind her. When she had gone, Ollivander turned to Bellatrix. He looked her straight in the eyes, trying as hard as he could to penetrate her mind and figure out what was going on, but she used Occlumency and he was unable to do so. He jolted back, surprised from the powerful magic that had been performed by the so-called muggle. "Who are you?" he asked harshly. "And why are you lying to your child about being muggle-born?"

She gave him a cold stare. "That is none of your business," she said.

He gave a small sigh. "True, true… but for my safety and yours. What is your relation to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

Bellatrix tensed up. "What are you talking about?" she said defensively.

"That wand," Ollivander said worriedly, "Has the same core as the Dark Lord's wand. Wands with matching cores always have a connection to each other through their owner, whether through blood or something else. What, pray, is your daughter's connection to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

Bellatrix glared at him. "That is not of your concern," she said, and stormed out of the shop. She began walking down the crowded street of Diagon Alley, glaring at anyone who gave her a second glance. Nefaria ran to catch up with her. When she arrived next to her mother, she tugged on the tall woman's skirt.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" she asked worriedly.

Bellatrix stopped. She knelt down and grasped Nefaria's shoulders firmly. "Nothing is wrong," she said, staring straight into her daughter's eyes. "I am so, so proud of you. And I know you will make me proud, with that wand you are holding. You promise me that? That you will make me proud?"

Nefaria nodded slowly. She stood up straighter, pulled her shoulders back, and held her head up high. On her face was an expression of cold determinedness. "I will make you proud, Mother," she said.

Bellatrix sighed and smiled sadly. "You are so your father's daughter," she whispered.


	6. Chapter 5

The evening following Nefaria's purchase of her wand, the girl spent the entire night holed up in her room practicing magic. After a few hours, she had mastered all the basic spells in the first few chapters of Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. She had all her pillows floating above her head with a simple "_Wingardium Leviosa_", and she had ripped and repaired all of them for practice of "_Diffindo_" and "_Reparo_".

Nefaria smiled and looked up at the pillows in wonder. She had done magic! Real magic, with a wand! When Bellatrix came to check on her later, Nefaria was fast asleep in her bed, clutching her wand with a huge grin on her face. The pillows still floated above her. Bellatrix smiled a small smile.

-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-

-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-

From then on, every day Nefaria stayed in the backyard all morning and then again in the evening. In the morning, Bellatrix taught her daughter normal magic she would learn in school- transfiguration, charms, and even a bit of herbology. Then in the evening, they would practice dueling.

Nefaria caught on quickly; after the first month, she could disarm Bellatrix in a duel. It was a great feat, and Bellatrix ran up to her, picked her up, and squeezed her tight the first time it happened. Nefaria stood up straight and tall, looking very proud of herself.

A few months later, Bellatrix walked out into the backyard at the beginning of the lesson, cupping something in her hands. She kneeled down to Nefaria and said, "Nefaria, I think it is time you learn one of the most important spells in this family. It is difficult, and it requires a lot of effort. Are you ready?"

Nefaria smiled and nodded. Bellatrix opened her hands and a small garden frog was resting there. "First, make it bigger," Bellatrix said.

Nefaria pointed her wand at the frog and said, "_Engorgio_". The frog grew three times its size. Bellatrix nodded slightly.

"Now, I want you to gather up all the emotion you have in your body. All your hatred. All your anger. Can you do that?"

Nefaria clenched her fists and thought hard for a moment. Then she relaxed. "I can't," she said quietly. "I can't be angry when I do magic. I love it!"

Bellatrix sighed. "Is there anyone you hate, Nefaria? Anyone in the books you read that you absolutely despise?"

Nefaria pondered for a moment. "I hate Father," she said quietly.

Bellatrix jolted back, surprised. Her eyes flashed with anger and she pulled out her wand. "_Crucio_," she said. Nefaria fell to the ground, writhing in pain. Bellatrix lifted the curse after only a second- barely enough time to feel much pain. But it got the point across.

Nefaria looked up at her mother in fear. "M-mum?" she said, trembling.

Bellatrix looked at her coldly. "It was necessary. I'm sorry, but it was necessary. You will_ never_ say a word against your father in this household. Do you understand me? He was a great, powerful wizard who benefited the world and tried to purge mankind of filth. I know why you hate him," she said, suddenly softer. "You hate that he left. You hate that we have to live here like this, in solitude."

Nefaria nodded meekly. "Don't hate your father. Hate the boy whose fault it is your father fell."

"Who?" Nefaria asked. "What's his name?"

Bellatrix opened her mouth, then suddenly closed it. "Knowledge is dangerous, Nefaria. If I told you the boy's name, you would figure out your Father's name, too. And that can't happen. Not yet. You need to just focus on learning and becoming a powerful witch. When you're old enough, I'll tell you. But right now, just know that he was a great man."

There was a moment of silence. "Mum," Nefaria said in a very small voice. "Can I still learn the spell?"

Bellatrix took a deep breath. "The incantation is '_Crucio_'. You have to mean it, Nefaria. It has to be full of hatred. You _want_ to torture that animal. Try it."

Nefaria looked at the large frog. She clenched her teeth. She tried thinking about the boy who killed her father, and she said the incantation. The frog twitched, obviously uncomfortable, but it didn't have the full effect. Nefaria closed her eyes. _If Father was a great man, why did he fall because of a boy?_, she thought. _If he was a great man, he would have defended himself. No, I still hate father_, she concluded. _It was his fault that he died._

She thought about this more, and she could feel the anger bubbling up inside of her. She pointed her wand and shouted, "_Crucio_!" The frog began squirming, tortured by Nefaria's curse. It made odd croaking noises. Nefaria gazed at it in wonder.

Finally, she let go, and Bellatrix finished off the frog with a quick killing curse. "You'll learn that one another time," she said to the side. "Were you thinking about the boy?" she asked Nefaria.

"Yes, Mother," Nefaria replied.

-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-

-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-

There came a time when Nefaria had had the chance to torture every animal, bug, spider, and insect that Bellatrix could get her hands on. Nefaria still wasn't sure what to think of it. She enjoyed the feeling of power and magic flowing through her veins when she cursed the animals; she knew that she was dominant and powerful and she loved it. On the other hand, she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to be the one under the curse. She couldn't forget the quick second in which her mother had caused her such pain.

Nefaria stood patiently in the backyard, waiting for her mother to return. Before Bellatrix had left, she leaned down to Nefaria and whispered, "I'm going to give you a special treat today."

Nefaria looked around in boredom. Finally, Bellatrix returned to the backyard, something large floating behind her as she walked closer. "What charm did I use?" Bellatrix threw the question at Nefaria.

"_Locomotor_," Nefaria fired back. This was just one example of the constant training that Bellatrix enforced on her daughter. "What _is_ that?"

Bellatrix grinned widely. "An animal for you to practice _Crucio_ on," she said.

Nefaria craned her neck to see the animal more closely. "Is that a… wait a second, Mother, that's a _person_!" she exclaimed and gaped, eyebrows furrowed. "Who is that? I can't torture a person! And you kill the animals afterwards. Are you going to kill a human, Mother?" she asked, disbelieving.

Bellatrix giggled. "Of course I will. Don't think of it as a human, Nefaria. It really, truly is an animal. It's a _muggle_."

Nefaria sighed. "Mother…" she said uncertainly. "What's so bad about muggles?"

Bellatrix stepped forward and put her shoulders on Nefaria. "They're filthy. Their blood is tainted. They don't know magic. They're _stupid_. They're disgusting pigs who deserve only to be ruled by us." She looked straight into Nefaria's cool blue eyes. "We are superior."

Nefaria slowly nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

"You're damn right it makes sense. So, you ready to practice?" Nefaria pulled out her wand, and took a defensive stance. Holding her wand in front of her, she rocked back and forth on her two feet, ready for anything. Bellatrix made a flourishing movement with her wand, and the man was turned right side up. She flicked her wand again, and he woke up, standing in front of Nefaria.

"Wh- what's going on? Wh-where a-am I? What h-happened?" he stuttered. Bellatrix nodded to Nefaria, indicating that she start.

Nefaria licked her lips in concentration. "He is stupid," she said quietly. Bellatrix chuckled. Nefaria took deep breath. "_Crucio_!"

The man let out an ear-splitting scream. He fell to the ground, squirming and twitching, consumed by an invisible force of pain. He was in agony. After a few seconds, Nefaria lifted the curse in surprise. "Mother?" she asked uncertainly. "Is it supposed to sound that way? It's… it's horrible."

Bellatrix pursed her lips and clenched her fists. "Yes," she said coldly. "I don't want any of this 'feeling sorry for the enemy' nonsense. He _deserves_ to be tortured. I don't want _any more_ uncertainty. Understood?"

Nefaria stood up tall, not wanting to disappoint her mom. "Yes, Mother." She turned back to the man, whimpering on the ground. She put the curse on him once more. Inside, she cringed when she heard him yell again, but she put on a cold face for her mother, showing no emotion whatsoever.

Finally, the man stopped screaming and he just lay on the ground, still squirming but too exhausted to let out a sound. Bellatrix smiled at Nefaria, and the little girl flicked her wand. The man relaxed, panting hard, closed his eyes, and slid into unconsciousness.

"That was incredible, Nefaria!" Bellatrix exclaimed.

"Thank you, Mother," Nefaria replied, trying to smile.

Bellatrix turned to the man and said "_Avada Kedavra_" softly. A green light shot out of her wand, and the man stopped breathing. Nefaria clenched her jaw and her fists, and cringed.

But Bellatrix's back was turned, and she saw nothing.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I know this is super short, but I felt that this scene deserved its own chapter. Enjoy!**

Nefaria walked into the kitchen and was met with Bellatrix muttering to herself, scrambling through the cabinets and refrigerator. "No more milk… low on everything… no more bubotube-"

"Mum?" Nefaria asked, interrupting Bellatrix's train of thought. "What's going on?"

"We're just low on supplies. And food," Bellatrix sighed. "Guess it's time for a trip to Diagon Alley…"

"Can I come?" Nefaria asked timidly.

"No, no, I don't think-" Bellatrix stopped short. "I have a better idea!" Nefaria cocked her head in confusion. "I'll go to Diagon Alley for potion supplies, and you go to the muggle grocery store down the street for food."

"By myself?" Nefaria asked.

"Yes, I think that would be very good for you. Does that sound good?"

Nefaria's eyes began to light up slowly. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "That sounds very good! Oh, fun. All by myself!"

Bellatrix smiled. "Come on then."

-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-

-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-

Bellatrix stood with her hand on Nefaria's shoulder, inside their house facing the front door. "What do you do if a muggle comes and talks to you?" Bellatrix asked.

"Ignore them," Nefaria replied.

"What if they try to touch you or hurt you?"

"_Crucio_ them to oblivion, put on a disillusion charm, and run," Nefaria recited.

Bellatrix squeezed Nefaria's shoulder. "Good," she said. "I'll be back in two hours. I'm going to do a bit of extra shopping. Are you ok with this?"

Nefaria nodded vigorously. "Yes, mum," she said, smiling. "I have the shopping list right here!" she waved a long piece of paper in front of her mother.

"Go," Bellatrix said, and opened the door. "Wait!" she called as Nefaria was about to step off the property and out of the protection of the Fidelis Charm. "Your nose!" Bellatrix waved her wand and a normal-looking nose formed on top of Nefaria's snake-like, flat, conspicuous nose.

The little girl frowned in distaste. "Bye mum!" she said, and began walking down the sidewalk. Bellatrix closed the door and began preparing herself, changing her appearance. Finally, she was ready, and she apparated to the Leaky Cauldron.

-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-/\-

-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-\/-

Nefaria skipped down the pavement, ecstatic about being free to roam in the world outside her house. She passed many similar looking houses, each with slightly different gardens or decorations.

On about the fifth house down, she saw a boy mowing the lawn with a small manual lawn mower- one that used no electricity or batteries. The boy was barely as tall as the lawn mower itself, and he struggled to push it across the neatly-gardened front yard.

The boy stopped to rest, and wiped his hand across his forehead, pushing away the sweat. He looked up and saw Nefaria coming towards him. He smiled timidly. "Hi," he said.

Nefaria began to smile, but then turned her head sharply away, remembering what her mother said. She ignored him and kept walking.

"What?" he asked. "I just said hi…"

Nefaria stopped, and turned slightly towards him, feeling the need to explain. "I'm not supposed to talk to you," she said.

"Why not?" he asked dejectedly, as if he knew the answer.

"Because you're a-"

"Freak? I know. My aunt's told me plenty of times," the boy interrupted.

"No," Nefaria replied, surprised. "You're a muggle." She said the word 'muggle' with the distaste that her mother often used when referring to the non-magical people.

"That doesn't sound like a very nice thing to say," the boy said, hurt. "It sounds bad! I'm not bad. Or- or rude. Or whatever that word means…"

"You're not a muggle, then?" Nefaria turned all the way, facing the boy. She had a smile growing on her face.

"I don't think so," the boy said, unsure.

"Well… if you don't know what a muggle is, then you are a muggle."

"What is a muggle?"

"Mum says they're filthy, evil creatures who are nasty and gross and mean and stupid."

The boy smiled, considerably happier. "I took a bath this morning!" He chuckled. "So I'm not dirty. And I get good marks in school. No one's ever called me stupid! And I'm nice. Well, I think I am."

Nefaria pondered. "Well, you seem nice. Maybe you're a mudblood," she said hopefully.

"That doesn't sound much better. And I've seen my blood before, when I get cut and stuff. It's not _muddy_. It's red, like everyone else's!"

Nefaria gave an exasperated sigh. "If you're a mudblood, your blood doesn't _look_ dirty. It just _is_."

"Well, I don't think I'm a mudblood."

"I'm sure you are. It's better than being a muggle! And think about it. You're nice- that means you're not a muggle. But you don't know what a muggle is. So you're a mudblood. You _think_ you're a muggle until you turn eleven."

"I'm only seven years old. That's a long time until I turn eleven…"

"Well, I'm six!" Nefaria exclaimed.

"What happens when you turn eleven?" the boy asked.

Nefaria smiled. "You get to go to school!"

"I already go to school. I go to primary school with my cousin."

"No, silly, a _special_ school. A school where you learn things that you would never learn in a muggle school."

The boy pondered. "Maybe we'll go to school together when you're eleven, and I'm twelve."

Nefaria looked down at her feet. "No, Mum teaches me at home. I'm not allowed to go to school." She looked up slightly, a sneaky smile on her face. "You see, I'm not supposed exist," she whispered.

The boy laughed. "You're funny," he said. Suddenly he stopped smiling and looked around quickly. "I have to finish mowing the lawn."

"Oh," Nefaria said. "Will I see you again sometime?"

"I guess not at school. But I mow the lawn every Saturday morning, if you want to come visit me then. It would be nice to have a friend to talk to," he said quietly, almost to himself.

"Friend?" Nefaria whispered.

The boy chuckled. "Sure, why not? Friend," he said firmly, and held out his hand. Nefaria took it and shook, gazing at their clasped hands in wonder.

"I'm Nefaria, by the way," she said, suddenly remembering her manners.

"Harry."


	8. Chapter 7

**A/N: ARGH! I'm sorry if they don't exactly sound like 6- and 7-year olds. But they're both mature… and stuff… I'm doing the best I can. Also, I'm going away for about a month next week. I'll try to put one more chapter up before then but I can't guarantee it. Enjoy! Review please!**

"Mum?" Nefaria asked timidly as she plopped herself down on the couch next to Bellatrix. A week had passed since Nefaria had met her new friend.

"Hmm?" Bellatrix answered, distracted. She was immersed in a book. Nefaria leaned over and craned her neck to read the title; it read _Secrets of the Darkest Arts_. Bellatrix had it opened to one of the few pages without gruesome drawings or sketches.

"Can I take a walk outside?"

Bellatrix replied, without looking up from her book, "You don't need to ask me, Nefaria. Just go out back." Bellatrix kept reading, but glanced up when she noticed Nefaria hadn't moved. "What?"

"Can I take a walk out front?"

Bellatrix's shoulders drooped. "I don't know… Why can't you just go out back?"

"There's more space out front," Nefaria said in a tiny voice.

Bellatrix sighed. "Fine. Take your wand. Be very careful. Don't talk to anyone. Be back in half an hour!"

Nefaria nodded. "Thank you!" she exclaimed.

"And your nose!" Bellatrix shouted once Nefaria had left the room.

"Right, mum, I got it!" she called back. The little girl grabbed her wand from her back pocket and waved it, muttering an incantation. The dreaded normal-shaped nose formed, and Nefaria stuck her wand back in her pocket, satisfied. "Bye, Mum!" she shouted, and shut the door.

Nefaria walked slowly, making sure it looked like she was just walking for the fun of it. But once she was out of sight of her house and Bellatrix, she broke into a sprint and ran all the way down the street, towards Harry's house.

When she arrived, she saw her new friend, as promised, outside mowing the lawn. Just as he passed the mailbox with a small metal number 4 attached to it, he looked up and saw Nefaria standing there. He grinned.

"I didn't think you'd come!" he exclaimed.

"Of course I did." Nefaria smiled.

"My aunt and uncle are out shopping, and my cousin is at a friend's house, so we can just sit and talk if you want. I just have to finish mowing the lawn before they get home."

Nefaria looked quickly around, making sure no one was near. "Let me do it," she said quietly. Before Harry could say anything, she whipped out her wand and waved it. The lawn mower started up and began mowing the lawn by itself.

Harry gaped. "Wha- what was that? What's happening to the lawn mower?"

Nefaria giggled. "Magic, silly."

"My uncle says there's no such thing as magic."

"Your uncle's a stupid muggle. He doesn't know anything," Nefaria replied.

"You mean, you can do magic?" Harry whispered.

Nefaria nodded. "Yep. And if you're a mudblood, which I'm sure you are- we talked about it last week!- then you can too."

Harry snorted. "I can't do magic. I'm-"

Nefaria interrupted him. "Yes, you can. You're a wizard, Harry!"

"No… I'm not… I'm Harry. Just Harry."

Nefaria shook her head. "Have you ever done something that you couldn't explain, when you were sad or mad?"

Harry tilted his head, pondering. "Last week, my aunt got me a sweater that was absolutely hideous. It was my size. But when she tried to put it on, it sort of shrunk. That's all I can think of."

Nefaria nodded excitedly. "That's it! I _knew_ you were a wizard."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows. "Do your parents have to be wizards for you to be?"

Nefaria frowned. "No… some wizards have muggle- non-magical people- parents. But they're inferior in our world. That's what mum says. Were your parents wizards?"

Harry looked down. "I don't know," he murmured. "They died when I was one."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! But- maybe they were wizards! How did they die?"

"Aunt Petunia says they died in a car crash and she says not to ask questions."

"Do you remember anything about their deaths?"

Harry squinted. "Sometimes… if I think real hard… I can see a bright green light. But Aunt Petunia says I wasn't in the car. So I don't know."

Nefaria gasped. "No!" she said. She shook her head. "That's horrible! Who would do that to you? Why would someone… if they weren't muggles, then…"

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"A green light. It's a spell. My mum hasn't taught it to me yet. She says maybe in a few months. I don't think we're supposed to do it, but no one really knows we live here, so the government can't track us down." She took a breath. "A green light is the killing curse, Harry. I think your parents were murdered," she whispered.

"N-no," Harry stuttered. "Who would murder my parents? That's not true. That can't be true. You're LYING!"

Nefaria stood up and took a step away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you!"

Harry sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. But if my parents were murdered, I'm going to find the man who did it!" he said with fierce determinedness.

Nefaria smiled slightly. "I can help if you want." She paused, thinking. "I have a huge library in my house. I could look through some books and see if your parents are in any of them! What were their names?"

"Lily and James Potter."

"Those names sound familiar… I think Mum might have mentioned them once. She doesn't talk much about the times before I was born," she tried to explain. "She's afraid she'll give something away about my father. She doesn't want me to know who my father is."

"Why not?"

"She says it's too dangerous. She said she'll tell me when I'm older. He was a powerful man," she said, getting excited. "From what mum says, I think he was one of the most powerful in the world. And he could read minds! Mum says he used to brag about being _immortal_. That means he can live forever. We're going to go find him someday!"

"That's fantastic!" Harry replied. "I wish I could go find _my_ parents."

"I really am sorry."

"Thanks." They sat in silence for a moment. "Can you show me how to do magic?" Harry asked suddenly.

"You don't really need it until you're eleven," Nefaria said.

"But I want to get my cousin to stop chasing me. He likes to beat me up sometimes…"

Nefaria's eyes grew wide. She jumped up and said, "I'll teach you some magic, then! But you need a wand." She sighed. "We can't go to Diagon Alley. It's too far. And I can't apparate… er, travel long distances by myself."

"I could borrow yours, maybe."

"Next time. I should go before my mum starts to worry. Maybe I can find a spare wand at my house."

"All right, then."

"I'll see you next week, Harry!"

"Bye, Nefaria!"


	9. Chapter 8

**Har har, it's been what? Like four months? Sorry. But homework for four honors and two AP classes, plus school musical rehearsals every night, can really get to you.**

"Harry…" Nefaria said, wringing her hands nervously. "I don't know. I don't think I should."

"Are you afraid I'll break it?" Harry asked timidly.

"N-no," Nefaria stammered, looking down at her feet. "I just… it's hard to explain. In my world- our world- your wand is sort of… yours. No one else uses your wand. It's your…" she struggled to find the right word.

"Identity?" Harry finished for her.

"Yeah."

"Ok," Harry said softly. "I understand. I just thought it might help, so I don't always have to deal with Dudley. But if it's not comfortable for you, then-"

"All right," Nefaria gave in, still looking slightly torn. But she wanted to help her friend stop being bullied. "Here." She held out her wand, handle facing Harry. "It's 12 inches, Holly and Phoenix feather."

Harry's face burst into a wide grin. "Thank you!" he exclaimed. "And it won't be forever. You'll find a time to take me to… what was it called again? Diagonal Street?"

Nefaria snickered. "Diagon Alley. And yes. But it'll take a few months of planning. Mother can't know about anything, or she'll…" she trailed off.

"What?" Harry prompted.

"Nothing," Nefaria shrugged off the thought of being tortured, like the day she herself had learned the curse. "Here," the girl said for a second time. "Give it a try."

Harry, slowly but confidently, reached out and closed his fist around the wand handle. It felt warm in his hand, and soon this warm feeling began spreading into his arm and throughout his whole body. The wand vibrated, and then shot out a small shower of red sparks.

Nefaria shrieked.

"What?" Harry asked. "Was that not supposed to happen?"

"No… no. That's my wand. Wands can't have two owners. That's MY wand!"

"I'm- I'm sorry!" Harry looked frantic. He shoved the wand back into Nefaria's still-outstretched, shocked hand. "Maybe we should just leave it until I'm older."

Nefaria took a step back and pushed her hair out of her face. "No. We should do this. But not yet. This wasn't supposed to happen. I'm supposed to… it's hard to explain. Let me research this first, ok?"

Harry just stared. "Ok…"

Nefaria turned and began walking away, still contemplating what had just happened.

"Nefaria!" Harry called after her. "I'm sorry!"

She turned. "I didn't mean to do anything bad," he murmured.

Nefaria smiled shyly. "Thank you," she said. "It wasn't really you." She kept walking down the sidewalk, black flats clicking softly every time she took a step.

"Nefaria?" Harry said again.

She stopped, and turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"You're a good friend."

[BREAK]

Bellatrix sat slumped over on her black leather couch in the living room of the great Victorian house. She was twirling her wand in her hand, staring at it intently.

Nefaria plopped down on the couch next to her mother. "Hi, Mum," she said.

Bellatrix glanced at her daughter and pushed her wild black hair behind her shoulder. "Hey," she said and stuck her wand back in her pocket. "How was your walk?"

"Good," Nefaria said succinctly. "Mum?"

"What?"

"Do you know anything about wandlore?"

Bellatrix looked taken aback. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I was thinking about when I got my wand. Can wands have two owners?"

"Er… I don't think so. I don't know much about wands. I think we have a book about it somewhere. Summon it."

"_Accio wandlore book_!" Nefaria said, sticking her wand in the direction of her house's massive library. Moments later, a leather-bound, dark red book came zooming towards her. She caught it, and hopped up from the couch. "Thanks mum!"

Bellatrix paused, and then said, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing!" Nefaria said, and looked her mother straight in the eyes, giving her an innocent look.

Bellatrix broke the stare and nodded. "All right. Dinner's in an hour."

[BREAK]

Nefaria poured over the book for several days, but nothing. There was a lot of explanation of how wands could change ownership, but there was absolutely no mention of a wand having two owners at the same time. Defeated (but only temporarily), Nefaria turned her attention to her other ongoing research: Harry and his family.

Strangely enough, Bellatrix only had one book in the entire library on modern wizarding history. It was a brief overview of the 20th century, mostly focusing on the rise and fall of Grindelwald and the World Wars (including the wizarding world's involvement). Post-1970's only had one chapter to itself, due to the fact that the book was published in 1980. There were mentions of famous people: the Minister, head Aurors, and a few prestigious professors at Hogwarts.

Hogwarts- something Nefaria knew little about. It was the only wizarding school in Britain, and Nefaria knew Bellatrix had gone there and met her father while in school. But that was it. She had no yearbooks, or photographs, or any memorabilia whatsoever concerning her school days, excluding textbooks.

Everything Nefaria knew about Hogwarts, she had learned from _Hogwarts, A History_, and she had only been able to get through part of it (way too boring). Disappointed by the lack of information she was finding, Nefaria resolved to research Hogwarts and find out as many details as she could to give to Harry.

Nefaria pulled her wand out of her pocket and twisted it around in her hand. Nothing had changed since the previous Saturday; it still worked just the same for her. Nefaria sighed.

"Maybe it's ok for my wand to be Harry's too," she thought. "Maybe it's not a big deal."

The young girl decided to take it in stride, and to help Harry to protect himself from his bullying cousin. Even if it meant sharing a wand.

After all, aren't that what friends are for?


End file.
